174-I don't know the world of swords




 
 After finishing breakfast, I go to my room to get ready to go see Thor and Asmo.

 I'm sure they're expecting another souvenir this time.

 I've already decided on a souvenir for Thor and Asmo. It's a wooden sword from Kagura's shop.

 You can't blame them for that.

 I'm talking about those two goons. It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on one.

 However, you should not be fooled by the word "wooden sword".

 It's not just that Kagura is a country that uses swords, their swords are also quite authentic. It's like they were carefully carved out of good wood and shaped into a form that doesn't have the cheap atmosphere of souvenir shops of a previous life. In fact, it was quite expensive, and I guess its purpose is for children to practice with.

 I was so impressed by the quality of the sword that I bought one for myself, even though I don't usually use a wooden sword at all.

 You're going to be able to get a good idea of what you're looking for.

 Then I buzz around the room to check the feel of the wooden sword.

 Yes, it has a nice weight and wood pattern. And it's easy to grip.

 As expected, I'm going to be pissed off with just a wooden sword. Shall we take some foodstuffs with us as usual?

 Is soy sauce and miso still safe? This will give you more variety in your family's cooking, and even if you can't handle it well, just pouring it over your food will make it taste better.

 It would be much more peaceful than bringing a limited number of dragon muffins like last time.

 Having decided that, I use spatial magic to make sure I have a soy sauce and miso pot.

 The space magic has enough stored in it to last for half a year if I'm alone. It doesn't hurt to be a little or a little less.

 Besides, I've got the view of Kagura properly seared into my eyes. If it's getting low, we can just go buy some in transition.

 With the souvenirs ready, I leave the room and go downstairs.

 Then Nord-Dad comes out of the living room, probably done with his teatime.

 He sees me coming down the stairs and rolls his eyes, a happy expression on his face.

'Oh?' It's very unusual for Al to practice on his own.

'What? I won't?

 There's no way I'd practice on my own unless I was forced to.

'Huh? But he's holding a wooden sword in his right hand-- It's different when you look at it closely, isn't it?

'This is a souvenir wooden sword I bought at Kagura. It's a souvenir from Thor and his friends and I'm taking it with me.

Let me see.

 Dad Nord looks at it with interest, and I give it to him honestly.

I'm sure you've made a good job of it. I'd like to ask you to make a wooden sword as well.

I don't have a sword over there, so I don't think they'll make one.

 He's a craftsman who can carve out the wood and enhance it so much. I could probably teach him the shape and weight of a wooden sword and he might be able to do it, but it would be difficult to achieve the same level of perfection as a wooden sword.

 Besides, it would take a lot of time and there's just no way I'd put in that much effort.

 I'm sure you can do it if you ask for help, but once it's completed, you'll be putting a lot of effort into your practice, so please don't do it.

"Can I take a swing at it?

Okay.

 I think he's curious after a moment of observation.

 I move away from Nord-Dad, who looks vaguely excited to see me.

 He walks to the large entrance and holds his wooden sword in front of him.

 His posture is as steady as ever, as beautiful as ever. Even though he's beautiful, he's not a knightly swordsman like Eric and Bram.

 It's a real-world type that has been trained and experienced by actually fighting demons and people.

 That's why there are no gaps anywhere to be seen. It's a model that has been perfected in my father Nord. I thought that was beautiful.

 I can only see a future where if I try to hit it, it will be countered in an instant.

 I've heard that Elinora and Nord Dad know where to hit, but Silvio and my brother have no idea.

 We're always warned not to strike where we don't want to. I don't understand the world of the sword.

 As I was staring at it with that in mind, Nord Dad slowly swung his wooden sword.

 The sound of a sharp cut through the air echoes in the doorway.

 The sword blade is so sharp that it can't be compared to me or Brother Silvio.

 However, he swings it twice or three times while tilting his head to see if he feels uncomfortable with Nord Dad.

 Surprised by the sounds coming from the front door, Sarra and Mother Erna peek out of the living room and door.

 Nevertheless, Nord Dad doesn't mind and continues to swing the wooden sword several times from all angles.

 After watching this for a while, the sound of air being sliced through the doorway faded away.

 I thought he had had enough of it and stopped, but I was wrong. Dad Nord was still pretending.

 He held his left shoulder in front of him and his right shoulder in an upper position behind him. Then he swung his right foot forward, right shoulder forward as he swung down.

 The movement was natural, yet quick to swing down.

 But I don't know what it means to swing a wooden sword down that quickly and not make a sound.

 The same thing was done with the wooden sword, but what kind of technique is that?

'It's still different from a sword. I'm used to swords and I can't handle it.

 Dad Nord smiled with satisfaction and handed me back my wooden sword and walked to his office.

 He was making some bold moves that looked like that, but was it wrong?

 I don't have a clue about sword technology. Magic is easier to understand, and magic is the best.



 ◆



 After telling Elna's mother where I was going, I left the mansion and headed for the village of Coriat.

 I can use the transfer, so I can use the transfer and head there in an instant, but today is the first time in a long time that I've been to Coriat Village, so I'm going to walk slowly and enjoy the scenery.

 I walked down the single street that stretched from the house.

 The sky is a clear blue, and pure white clouds are flowing lazily.

 The air is hot this time of year, probably because it's summer.

 The sun, floating in the sky, burns me with a sizzling sensation.

 We must be less than a hundred meters away from the mansion, but sweat is beading on my back.

 However, on either side of the path is a vast grassy field from which a pleasant breeze blows.

 It's a natural fan that cools me down as I'm getting hot. Every time the wind blows, the grass around me sways and makes a soft sound like a tidal wave.

 I can feel the wind on my skin and cool off with the sound of cool leaves. Isn't this the real pleasure of summer in the countryside?

 With that in mind, I walk down a single street.

 ...But it's hot today. In the midst of the height of summer, was it a mistake to go outside without a hat?

And there's a limit to how much cooler we can get. Humans should stay in the right temperature, after all.

 That's what I said to myself, I activated my ice magic and sprinkled cold air around the area.

 A low temperature white cold air drifts in the hot, stifling air.

'...Oh, it's cool.

 The air was so stuffy, it was like a lie.

 It's as cool as being in a big freezer.

 The cold air envelops my entire body, and when I breathe in, the chilly air enters my body and cools me down from the inside.

 In terms of instantaneous coolness, it's more comfortable than the air conditioner. As long as I have this, I'm not afraid of summer or the desert.

 Yeah, I practiced my magic for times like these. I'm glad I worked so hard to learn ice magic.

 After all, magic enriches our lives, doesn't it?

 As I'm acutely aware of the beauty of magic, the cold air that was swirling around me disappears.

 With that, the temperature around me rises drastically and the heat hits me again.

 That's right. If I just let out the normal cold air, it would be swept away in a flash. If I were to stop right there, I'd still be walking. It's only natural that the cold air would disappear due to this hot temperature.

 The ice magic keeps releasing cold air, and I have to control that cold air as much as possible as I walk.

 When the seasons change, humans tend to get sick.

 This is because the human body can no longer keep up with the sudden changes in temperature. In mid-summer, the most obvious example of this is air conditioner sickness.

 It is not a good idea to get sick like that. It's best to keep the temperature of the cold air moderate, yet comfortable.

 I used ice magic to release the cold air and keep it at a moderate temperature as I walked to Coriat village.